as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit
constantly playing with her hair is one of her more annoying tics
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tic
The frequency and severity of tics also change regularly, and can be in response to factors like stress, anxiety, excitement, fatigue, illness and more.
—
Esther Kang, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
The structural devices, aesthetic flourishes, and writing tics that Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan crib — intentionally or otherwise — from Sorkin make the film a fascinating showcase for all of the latter’s screenwriting strengths and weaknesses.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
All three brothers have Tourette’s but none of them show any tics during the interview.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2024
Naturally, the always Mary Katherine also had to share her signature tic with the VP: Shoving her hands under her armpits and then sniffing her fingers.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tic 
Esther Kang, People.com, 3 Dec. 2024
The structural devices, aesthetic flourishes, and writing tics that Reitman and co-writer Gil Kenan crib — intentionally or otherwise — from Sorkin make the film a fascinating showcase for all of the latter’s screenwriting strengths and weaknesses.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
All three brothers have Tourette’s but none of them show any tics during the interview.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2024
Naturally, the always Mary Katherine also had to share her signature tic with the VP: Shoving her hands under her armpits and then sniffing her fingers.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 18 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tic
Noun
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When working with one or a few rats, snacks like nuts, seeds, and fruit often do the trick.—
Laura Bradley,
Vulture,
17 Jan. 2025
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Magness recommended a trick backed by psychology: Use second- and third-person pronouns when talking to yourself, instead of first-person pronouns.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This month’s trait, kindness, will be celebrated in a Kindness Week at the end of January.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Jan. 2025
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Aside from this unusual trait, Yellow Red Heart promises to delight with vibrant yellow blossoms with a red throat that start early and continue through to a heavy frost.—
Dawn Pettinelli,
Hartford Courant,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This is definitely the characteristic of Desolas, as there is barely the faintest whiff of smoke.—
Richard Carleton Hacker,
Robb Report,
24 Jan. 2025
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All in all, the benefits of companion plants really boil down to the individual growing characteristics of the plants incorporated, how each of those plants interacts with their growing environment, and how other plants can utilize those characteristics and interactions.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Common features in children who claim to have led a previous life include a verbal precocity and mannerisms at odds with that of the rest of the family.—
Saskia Solomon,
New York Times,
3 Jan. 2025
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Brody was 7 years old when his grandfather died, but the memories of his speech and mannerisms left their mark.—
E. Alex Jung,
Vulture,
23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The ratings service’s December Gauge rankings — which, due to a quirk of how Nielsen collects its data, also includes the last week of November — show streaming services commanding an all-time high of 43.3 percent of all TV viewing in the United States.—
Rick Porter,
The Hollywood Reporter,
21 Jan. 2025
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Due to calendar quirks, the two significant US days will not coincide again for another 28 years.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA TODAY,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Reading Sand-Catcher in late 2024, as the terrible violence in Gaza and Lebanon continues, is a poignant reminder that each picture, each death recorded, represents an individual, a whole world of dreams, ideas, and idiosyncrasies.—
Bekah Waalkes,
The Atlantic,
5 Dec. 2024
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She's surrounded by superiors ranging from idiotic to delusional, like Joyce (who's on the far end of the delusional side) and doctors Ron (Grier) and Bruce (Josh Lawson), each with their own idiosyncrasies that drive everyone crazy.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA TODAY,
12 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Born on January 20, 1946, in Missoula, Montana, David Keith Lynch had a quintessentially American upbringing that belied the eccentricity of his later works.—
Darryn King,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
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His character as criminal profiler quickly became a fan favorite with his analytical skills, his eccentricities — and his ever-changing hair.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
12 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Instead, several scenes are given over to her wacky habit of posting too much info on Facebook.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2025
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From the data, researchers noted that different factors played a part in how successful habit forming was.—
Monica Cull,
Discover Magazine,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near tic
Cite this Entry
“Tic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tic. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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